Zucchini Overload - Italian Sausage Soup

We love Sausage Vegetable soup this time of year and it uses a good-sized zucchini every time I make it. 

First I brown a pound of sausage with an chopped onion and some fresh garlic.

Then I add about 3 cups of chopped carrots and celery and cook until they soften.

I made this on vacation so I added an Italian Seasoning packet int he cupboard as well as a 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.  Seriously, even a  1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes will make any soup more interesting.

 I added about 4 cups of chopped tomatoes from the garden.

I added five cups of water and 5 chicken bullion cubes - again on vacation - and 3 bay leaves that I brought along.

Here is the zucchini that got squashed a bit in our cooler.

I chunked the zucchini into the soup.

So delicious with parmesan cheese atop!  

Yummo -and it feeds all six of us with plenty of leftovers for DH's packed lunches.

Katie